Contents

Melinda Bush is a Democratic member of the Illinois State Senate, representing District 31 since 2013. She currently serves as a Member of the Lake County Board and a Commissioner of the Lake County Forest Preserve.[1]

Issues

Campaign themes

2012

Excerpt: "Springfield needs proven leaders we can trust to fund programs that help Lake County and cut programs that do not work. Leaders we can trust to pay our bills on time, and end the culture of procrastination we have created by borrowing money from the pension fund and spending it."

Jobs and the Economy

Excerpt: "Melinda comes from a background of modest means, and at a young age learned the importance of having a good job with a competitive wage. As a small-business owner, she also learned the challenges of providing those jobs."

Ethics Reform

Excerpt: "Faced with cronyism and corruption at the Lake County and Forest Preserve Boards, Melinda was the first commissioner to stand up and cry foul. ...Melinda will take that same sense of right and wrong with her to Springfield, where she will work to end pension double- and triple-dipping, pay-for-play politics and political cronyism."

Education

Excerpt: "...Melinda knows first-hand how important exceptional teachers and an animated school environment are to a child’s education. She believes that we need to invest in the development of quality educators and school systems that are accountable to the needs of teachers, students and parents. Whether in the public or private school systems, students deserve an opportunity to succeed."

The Environment

Excerpt: "Melinda has always believed that the environment and the economy are not mutually exclusive. She believes it is necessary to invest in green jobs and bring new technologies to Lake County."